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The original Hexaméron Variations were composed in 1837, which included a set of six variations for solo piano on the theme "March of the Puritans" from Vincenzo Bellini's (1801-1835) opera I Puritani. The work was written by popular composer-pianists of the day: Frédéric Chopin, Sigismond Thalberg, Henri Herz, Carl Czerny, Johann Peter Pixis, and Franz Liszt.
The piece was commissioned by Princess Belgiojoso and was first performed at her salon, the same place where Thalberg and Liszt had their legendary dual to determine who would be the greatest pianist in the world. Belgiojoso’s famous judgement, echoed throughout time was: Thalberg is the greatest pianist, but there is only one Liszt. Liszt ordered the pieces, composed the connecting sections, and is considered to have integrated the piece into an artistic unity. He later orchestrated the work and arranged it for two pianos, giving performances for charity.
Hexaméron Variations, Book II, was commissioned in 2009 by the Soiree Society of the Arts. The variations are written on the same theme as the original 1837 work, and also includes an introduction, interlude, and finale written by Matthew Cameron, who also ordered the sequence of variations. The variations are written by six composer-pianists - Greg Anderson, Corbin Beisner, Matthew Cameron, Hwaen Ch'uqi, Simone Ferraresi, and Quentin Kim - who are deeply committed to continuing the Lisztian tradition of composing virtuoso piano music that is as appealing as it is timeless.
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Composer Pianists 
